"Hydrogen Drone Going Further" Hyundai Motor Company, First Reveal

Hydrogen fuel cell-based multicopter drone Project N developed by Hyundai Motor Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hyundai Motor Group held the Future Air Mobility (AAM) Tech Day 2022 event on the 25th at Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang. AAM is a concept that goes beyond Urban Air Mobility (UAM), which Hyundai Motor Group is promoting, to also encompass Regional Air Mobility (RAM). While UAM focuses on developing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft operating within urban areas, RAM covers eco-friendly aircraft designed for travel between cities or regional hubs.

About 100 people, including members of related academic societies, professors, and university students, attended the event. The company unveiled for the first time the research and development achievements of ‘Project N,’ a multicopter drone based on hydrogen fuel cells and batteries developed for research purposes. Unlike typical battery-based UAM aircraft, this vehicle is designed to use both hydrogen fuel systems and batteries simultaneously, enabling more efficient travel over longer distances.

The company demonstrated the feasibility of developing RAM aircraft utilizing hydrogen energy. It passed the airworthiness certification standards, which verify whether an aircraft meets the safety levels suitable for flight, in February, becoming the first hydrogen fuel cell aircraft registered in Korea. The aircraft has a diameter of 6 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of 700 kg.

At the event, Hyundai Motor Group introduced the direction of its AAM business and technology development plans. Attendees included Shin Jae-won, President of the AAM Division and CEO of the U.S.-based aviation mobility company Supernal, key executives, and Professor Lee Ji-yoon from KAIST’s Department of Aerospace Engineering. The company plans to participate in the Farnborough Airshow in the UK, the world’s second-largest airshow, in July.

President Shin Jae-won said, "Based on our experience in automobile development, advanced automotive technologies such as autonomous driving, and mass production know-how, I am confident that we can bring more innovative and safer aircraft to the market than our competitors. We will continue to strive to activate the global AAM business."

Hydrogen fuel cell-based multicopter drone Project N developed by Hyundai Motor Group